Industrial Applications and Chemistry Section
RADIATION TECHNOLOGY FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS AND A SAFER ENVIRONMENT
Rationale: Applications of radioisotopes and radiation technology in many areas of industrial processes and environmental protection are contributing significantly towards sustainable development by improving the quality of life and ensuring cleaner and safer industrial processes. Identification of landmines for humanitarian demining and detection of bulk explosive materials is a major concern of several Member States. Advanced nuclear detection techniques, including the use of special neutron sources have the potential to help locate such materials and facilitate their safe disposal. The increasing industrial activity worldwide to cater to demands of the growing population tends to place a heavy burden on the environment and radiation technology contributes in this regard towards achieving safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial processes, for example by conversion of noxious gases into useful fertilizers and removal or inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms and parasites.
Studies in recent years have also demonstrated the effectiveness of ionizing radiation as such, or in combination with other methods, in the decomposition of organic pollutants in aqueous solutions. Radiation treatment provides a means to process nano-structured materials, a significant impact of which is anticipated in many industries and biomedical applications including radiotherapy, as well as to develop controlled drug delivery systems.
Radioactive tracers continue to be a powerful tool for developing and improving industrial process engineering and for natural resources exploration and exploitation. Radiography, digital radioscopy and tomography are advancing non-destructive examination of metallic and concrete structures. A large number of Member States with programmes in these areas will benefit from Agency support and coordination.
Ionizing radiation is widely applicable for synthesis of new and modifying the properties of existing materials, both synthetic and natural. The use of radiation polymerization, crosslinking, degradation and grafting has already introduced a number of new products with unique properties to the market, but the research work remains active especially in the field of natural and synthetic macromolecules. The modification of natural polymers to reduce the waste and in the same time prepare new materials for applications in health-care, agriculture and environmental protection, and the use of various radiation techniques for synthesis of new functional materials on the nanoscale (nanogels, nanoclusters, nanocomposites, nanostructured surfaces etc.) are some of the examples. Support to development and enhanced capacity building in synthesis/modification of advanced materials would be significant to Member States.
The Agency, through its technical cooperation and research activities, has significantly enhanced the capabilities of many developing Member States in the field of radiation technology. More than 40 pilot and industrial scale Co-60 gamma irradiators, as well as several electron accelerators which are being widely used for sterilization, food irradiation, polymer/rubber processing and effluent treatment have been established with the cooperation of the Agency. However, because of rapid progress of technologies, the majority of Member States still lack trained and qualified personnel and facilities, and they need support to develop and adopt radiation technology to effectively alleviate their industrial and environmental problems and cost effectively integrate radiation technology into their overall sustainable industrial development programme. Research and field trials have shown the need for a broader based evaluation of the application of nuclear techniques for landmine identification. New efforts using combinations of techniques will be pursued to supplement the individual techniques tested hitherto. The emphasis of the Agency's work is towards strengthening national capabilities and assisting national institutions achieve self-sustainability in those areas of radiotracers and radiation technology with promising new developments. Research activities under this subprogramme are based on recommendations and conclusions of different research coordination, consultant, technical and international meetings as well as consultation with SAGNA members on the overall objectives of the programme.
CRP activities are either of the applied research type with the aim to enhance research and development capability of Member States using indigenous resources, or the adaptive research type for progress towards technology transfer to developing Member States.
Objectives: To extend the benefits from radiation technology and radiation processing applications for industrial processes and tackling pollutants/biohazards by strengthening national capabilities in Member States.